CJ DVD

With all the travelling that I've been doing, I have become the embodiment of off-line television viewing. I am the antithesis of the sister's written word ethic. Part of my packing will normally include a DVD or 2 to while away the hours in the less salubrious accommodation that I find myself in.

When I bought this Haughey DVD, I was worried that I may be on the slippery slopes to harder expat fare. I think I will dabble in Halls Pictorial Weekly DVD's, but just say NO to Brendan Grace & Hal Roach.

This program is excellent for several reasons. It went part-way to explaining to my wife why so many businessmen in Ireland behave like horse-traders, though she had new-found respect for Ben Dunne simply because he went crazy ape-shit bonkers on drugs and callgirls in Florida.

It has has one of the few contemporary mentions of the term 'latchiko' - spelling anyone? PJ Mara and Padraig Flynn display all their mental-evil-hoor glory like characters from a gothic novel. And it is always pleasing to see public figures getting sweary.

I loved it. It's magnificent telly. What made me laugh the most was that it needed no embellishment whatsoever. Telling the story straight was enough to get across how f***ed-up
Irish politics was when we were growing up. Should be compulsory viewing in schools.

Send a copy to your favourite offshore buddy.